Zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic, G.A. res. 49/26, 49 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 49) at 31, U.N. Doc. A/49/49 (1994).


Forty-ninth session
Agenda item 30

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The General Assembly,

Recalling
its resolution 41/11 of 27 October 1986, in which it solemnly declared the Atlantic Ocean, in the region situated between Africa and South America, the "Zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic",

Recalling also its subsequent resolutions on the matter, including resolution 45/36 of 27 November 1990, in which it reaffirmed the determination of the States of the zone to enhance and accelerate their cooperation in the political, economic, scientific, technical, cultural and other spheres,

Reaffirming that the questions of peace and security and those of development are interrelated and inseparable, and considering that cooperation among all States, in particular those of the region, for peace and development is essential in promoting the objectives of the zone of peace and cooperation in the South Atlantic,

Aware of the importance that the States of the zone attach to the preservation of the region's environment, and recognizing the threat that pollution from any source poses to the marine and coastal environment, its ecological balance and its resources,

Noting the concern expressed on the use of fishing methods and practices that cause the over-exploitation of living marine resources, especially of highly migratory and straddling fish stocks, and that it has an adverse impact on the conservation and management of living resources of the marine environment, both within and beyond the exclusive economic zones,

1. Emphasizes the importance of the purposes and objectives of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic as a basis for the promotion of cooperation among the countries of the region;

2. Calls upon all States to cooperate in the promotion of the objectives established in the declaration of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic and to refrain from any action inconsistent with those objectives and with the Charter of the United Nations and relevant resolutions of the Organization, particularly action which may create or aggravate situations of tension and potential conflict in the region;

3. Welcomes with satisfaction the holding of the third meeting of the States members of the zone, held at Brasilia on 21 and 22 September 1994, and takes note of the Final Declaration, the Declaration on the Denuclearization of the South Atlantic, the Declaration on the Marine Environment, the Declaration on Business Cooperation in the South Atlantic and the decision on the establishment of the Permanent Committee of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic, adopted at the meeting; 1/

4. Welcomes the agreement reached at Brasilia to encourage democracy and political pluralism and, in accordance with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993, 2/ to promote and defend human rights and fundamental freedoms and also to cooperate towards the achievement of those goals;

5. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General of 14 October 1994, submitted in accordance with its resolution 48/23 of 24 November 1993; 3/

6. Welcomes also the recent progress towards the full entry into force of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco) 4/ for all States in Latin America and the Caribbean, which will permit the consolidation in the near future of the status of the Treaty region as a nuclear-weapon-free zone;

7. Welcomes further the efforts made towards the implementation of the Declaration on the Denuclearization of Africa 5/ leading to the conclusion of a treaty on a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Africa;

8. Affirms the importance of the South Atlantic to global maritime and commercial transactions and its determination to preserve the region for all activities protected by customary international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; 6/

9. Warmly welcomes South Africa into the community of South Atlantic States;

10. Expresses its appreciation for the efforts of the international community, especially the recent adoption by the Security Council of resolutions aimed at achieving a lasting peace in Angola and Liberia, and welcomes in particular the initialling, on 31 October 1994, of the Lusaka Protocol by the Government of Angola and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola;

11. Commends the efforts of Member States and humanitarian organizations to render emergency humanitarian assistance to Angola and Liberia, and urges them to continue to provide and to increase such assistance;

12. Congratulates the Government of Nigeria for its valuable work as coordinator of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic since the meeting held at Abuja in 1990, and expresses its satisfaction at the constructive participation of all members of the zone during the same period;

13. Welcomes the offers made by the Governments of South Africa, Argentina and Benin to host the fourth, fifth and sixth ministerial meetings of the zone in 1995, 1996 and 1997;

14. Welcomes also the offer made by the Government of Namibia to host a meeting of ministers of trade and industry of the States of the zone in early 1995;

15. Stresses the importance to the zone of the results of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 3 to 14 June 1992, highlighting as a remarkable result the adoption of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 7/ and Agenda 21, 8/ as well as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 9/ and the Convention on Biological Diversity, 10/ in the conviction that their implementation will strengthen the basis for cooperation within the zone and for the benefit of the international community as a whole;

16. Requests the relevant organizations, organs and bodies of the United Nations system to render appropriate assistance which States of the zone may seek in their joint efforts to implement the objectives of the zone;

17. Requests the Secretary-General to keep the implementation of resolution 41/11 and subsequent resolutions on the matter under review and to submit a report to the General Assembly at its fiftieth session, taking into account, inter alia, the views expressed by Member States;

18. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fiftieth session the item entitled "Zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic".

74th plenary meeting
2 December 1994


____________

1/ A/49/467, annexes I-V.

2/ Report of the World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, 14-25 June 1993 (A/CONF.157/24 (Part I)), chap. III.

3/ A/49/524.

4/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 634, No. 9068.

5/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Twentieth Session, Annexes, agenda item 105, document A/5975.

6/ Official Records of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, vol. XVII (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.84.V.3), document A/CONF.62/122.

7/ Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992 (A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1 (Vol. I and Vol.I/Corr.1, Vol.II, Vol.III and Vol.III/Corr/1)(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol. I, Resolutions adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annex I.

8/ Ibid., resolution 1, annex II.

9/ A/AC.237/18 (Part II)/Add.1 and Corr.1, annex I.

10/ See United Nations Environment Programme, Convention on Biological Diversity (Environmental Law and Institutions Programme Activity Centre), June 1992.


Home || Treaties || Search || Links